NOP 114, MEM 106: Jaren Jackson Jr. Finishes With 51.8 Yahoo FP
Hiro Tanaka
Physical Therapy Assistant ยท Los Angeles Lakers fan
Derik Queen Is a Dark Horse League Winner, But Jaren Jackson Jr. Reminds You Why You Drafted Him
Pelicans squeaked past the Grizzlies 114-106 last night, and yeah, it was close, but the fantasy implications are way more interesting than the final score. We had a backup center go absolutely nuclear, a defensive wing finally unlock his offensive game, and a generational talent remind everyone he's still a force even when he's not dropping 25. Let's break it down.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaren Jackson Jr. | 52.0 | 51.8 | 16/9/2 | 19.0/5.7/1.9 | -3.0 |
| Derik Queen | 46.0 | 44.3 | 22/9/7 | 12.3/7.4/4.3 | +9.7 |
| Saddiq Bey | 43.0 | 41.6 | 22/8/2 | 16.1/5.9/2.3 | +5.9 |
| Zion Williamson | 43.0 | 39.4 | 21/7/4 | 22.0/6.2/3.4 | -1.0 |
| Herbert Jones | 35.0 | 29.3 | 16/4/1 | 9.3/3.6/2.4 | +6.7 |
| Jaylen Wells | 25.0 | 23.8 | 10/4/4 | 11.7/3.5/1.7 | -1.7 |
| Jock Landale | 20.0 | 23.6 | 12/8/0 | 11.6/6.5/1.7 | +0.4 |
| Vince Williams Jr. | 20.0 | 22.1 | 13/3/3 | 7.8/4.1/4.5 | +5.2 |
| Cedric Coward | 18.0 | 21.5 | 13/5/5 | 13.9/6.3/2.9 | -0.9 |
| GG Jackson | 16.0 | 21.1 | 4/8/5 | 7.5/3.1/0.9 | -3.5 |
Derik Queen Is Legit (And That's A Problem For Your Waiver Wire)
Real talk: Derik Queen just dropped 44.3 Yahoo FP on 8-12 shooting with a +9.7 point explosion compared to his season average. This isn't a one-game fluke. I've been watching the Pelicans' roster construction, and Queen is filling a massive gap they needed filled. 22 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists in 33 minutes from your backup center? That's starter production getting starter minutes.
Here's what matters for your league: Queen was barely owned before tonight (based on the trending data). If he's still available, he's gone by morning. If you've got a waiver wire spot and your center depth is shaky, you're not going to find someone with this kind of upside at 1.7% ownership. But here's the reality check, the one that keeps me from going all-in. Averaging 12.3 points on the season, he had a career night. It's sustainable if the Pelicans keep riding him, but the organization might revert to their old rotation patterns once the injury dust settles.
From a PT perspective, I'm watching his load management closely. He played 33 minutes tonight after averaging 25, which tells me the Pelicans are comfortable expanding his role. That's the green light. But back-to-backs and foul trouble could limit future upside fast.
Jaren Jackson Jr. Dropped 51.8 Yahoo FP Without Even Going Off
Jaren Jackson Jr. is the kind of player who makes you forget he's having a quiet night until you check the stat line. 16 points, 9 boards, 6 steals in 33 minutes, and he hit both his threes. That's a +3.3 rebound night and a +6 steal night compared to his season average. The shot wasn't falling (6-19), but his defensive activity was elite as always. This is exactly why you drafted him in the first place.
JJJ is one of those guys who doesn't need 25 points to give you a fantasy night. Blocks, steals, and rebounding floor him at a solid floor, and when his shot's falling, he goes supernova. Last season he was All-Defensive caliber stuff. Tonight he proved that defensive pedigree is still there. If you own him, hold. If you don't, the guy likely won't hit waivers, so don't even waste the thought.
The Real Story: The Pelicans Offense Found Something
Saddiq Bey (41.6 Yahoo FP) and Zion Williamson (39.4 Yahoo FP) both cooked, and while Zion was basically right on his season average, Bey went off with +5.9 points. Bey's the one I want to talk about because this is his biggest fantasy night of the season. 22 points on 9-19 shooting with decent efficiency. The Pelicans realized they can use him as a primary scorer when the defense focuses on Zion, and that's a league-wide signal: Saddiq Bey's baseline is rising.
Herbert Jones also had a monster game (29.3 Yahoo FP, +6.7 pts). That's the kind of perimeter defense and active rebounding (4 boards in 29 minutes) that makes him useful beyond just being a defensive specialist. But let's be real, Herbert's a streaky fantasy guy. One great game doesn't mean he's a waiver wire target, but it confirms the Pelicans' depth isn't as thin as people thought.
Memphis's Role Players Went To War, But It Wasn't Enough
On the Memphis side, Jaylen Wells (23.8 Yahoo FP) did fine work. He's a bench wing getting spot minutes, and the 10 points on efficient shooting is exactly what you want from that archetype. He's not going to burst onto your waiver wire radar, but if you need injury fill-in depth, he's a solid option in deeper leagues.
Vince Williams Jr. (22.1 Yahoo FP) had one of his better fantasy nights, and Cedric Coward punched above his season average with 21.5 Yahoo FP. Both guys playing strong complementary basketball. GG Jackson grabbed 5 assists in just 18 minutes, which is wild, but low volume matters. Don't read too much into it.
The real story for Memphis? Santi Aldama's absence is already showing up in the ownership trends. He's down 1.1% ownership league-wide for a reason. Role distribution got weird without him, and that volatility is exactly what fantasy managers hate. If Aldama returns, expect the minutes to normalize.
What You Should Actually Do Right Now
If Queen is available, add him NOW. Don't wait for waivers to clear. This is a 10-team league minimum move.
Bey is a hold if you have him, and a buy-low candidate if someone's panicking after an inconsistent stretch. The Pelicans found an offensive role for him.
JJJ owners don't need to do anything. He's exactly what you signed up for.
Don't panic on Trey Murphy III. He went 2-14 tonight and still got 33 minutes. Bad shooting nights happen. His role is secure.
Santi Aldama (if eligible for your league's IL status) is a sit-and-watch guy until we know his timeline. The ownership drop tells you the league's already moving on, so don't be the last guy holding the bag.
The Pelicans are figuring out their identity without their full roster healthy, and that's creating fantasy opportunity. The Grizzlies showed they can compete even without their star, but their depth chart volatility is way more stressful to roster.